Dear Emily
by mamacrime25
Summary: This is a slight variation on sienna27's idea for Bonus Challenge #7. This is complete AU. Aaron is a Marine who is charged with being the companion of Emily Prentiss. When they start to fall for each other, Aaron's orders change.
1. Chapter 1

Dear Emily

_Author's Note: This is sort of a variation of sienna27's idea for Bonus Challenge #7. I am going to do a completely AU story where Hotch joined the Marines after college. He never went to law school; therefore, he was never a prosecutor and never joined the FBI. He met Emily when he was stationed in Saudi Arabia, and she was with her mother who was also stationed in Saudi Arabia._

_I am willing to attempt to do this story as a multi-chapter story, but I am not sure if it is good enough to continue. Please review and let me know what you think._

_I don't own Criminal Minds or any of the characters written here. If I did, there would be another little Hotchner out there…_

Aaron Hotchner had been in the Marines for almost six years now. He joined right after college. His father had been in the military, his father's father had been in the military, and his grandfather's father had been in the military. So, hell, why not join? He had considered going to law school for a little while, but then he had decided to revisit that thought after he served at least one term of enlistment. He was almost at the end of that term, and he was considering law school yet again. However, he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave. Since he was with the Marines, he had traveled to many locations within the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Indonesia, Germany, Afghanistan, and now, Saudi Arabia. He had traveled to many places where he wouldn't have gone had he not been in the service, and he found that he loved traveling.

He had no considerable ties back home to consider. Both of his parents had passed on, his brother Sean would be graduating from Georgetown Law soon and he had already accepted a position in Boston, and his high school sweetheart, Haley, had long since moved on. The last he heard she had three children and a husband who was an investment banker. That was the kind of guy that she had always wanted. She wanted someone who was utterly predictable and boring. Aaron could never be that guy. He had no hard feelings; he simply wished her and her family the best.

Although he had no one to go back home from, he sort of missed being there. He missed Monday night football with the guys. He missed taking trips along the countryside when he needed to clear his head. Most of all he missed his privacy and being his own person. Everything in the Marines was regulated, and sometimes he just wanted to go off and do his own thing.

"Major Hotchner, front and center," said Colonel Jacobs.

"Yes, sir," responded Aaron.

"You are an outstanding Marine, and you have been chosen to work the protective detail of Ambassador Prentiss," replied the Colonel.

"Thank you, sir," responded Aaron. Protective detail? He would never openly question his orders, but protective detail? Most of the guys that worked protective detail were outstanding men who went on to do outstanding things. He never really considered himself to be one of those guys, but someone sure thought so.

"Your transport to Riyadh will be here shortly," said the Colonel as he turned to walk away. Aaron returned to his barracks quickly to retrieve his items. His ride was there within the hour, and he was on his way to Riyadh.

The ride to Riyadh was a little over an hour long. He didn't really have much to think about on the way there except how nice it would be to be inside of the embassy. He couldn't wait to get into a place with some air conditioning because as fate would have it, the desert was hot, especially in the summer. The embassy was easily noticeable as it was the most modernized building in the area and because of the American flag that was flying on the building. He walked inside where Agent Johnson of the Secret Service was awaiting him.

"Hello, Major Hotchner," said the agent. "I am Agent Johnson of the Secret Service. I'm the agent in charge of Ambassador Prentiss' detail. You are here because we needed someone who is highly experienced to serve as a companion."

"A companion, sir?" asked Aaron. He was a little confused now. He was told that he was here to work the protective detail of the Ambassador.

"Well, Ambassador Prentiss' daughter, Emily, is visiting her mother for the summer. Although she has adamantly denied allowing us to attach someone to her, we have decided that assigning someone who is younger yet experienced to be a companion would be a good idea. From your records, we have determined that you are highly qualified for this job," responded the agent.

Now Aaron understood. They needed a babysitter. That was nice. He was one of the more highly ranked men in his unit, and he had been pulled for babysitting detail. He could feel his face starting to turn red when he realized that being on babysitting detail would be like a small break. At least there was nice shelter and air conditioning involved. He just hoped this kid wouldn't be too much of a terror.

"Ambassador Prentiss and her daughter are waiting for us in her office," added Agent Johnson. "You can hand off your personal belongings to George, and he will put them in your room. You will be responsible for Ms. Prentiss during waking hours or while away from the embassy. At nighttime, we will take charge of security. You will be allowed to take personal time as needed."

The two men walked to the Ambassador's office. The room was very decadent and ornate. It was trimmed in oak with oak fixtures. It was a very masculine room; however, he could feel the softness of a woman's touch as photographs and paintings lined the walls.

"Major Hotchner, this is Ambassador Prentiss. Ambassador Prentiss this is Major Hotchner. He will be acting as Ms. Prentiss' companion this summer." Aaron was looking around the room, but he could find the little girl.

"Major, this is my daughter, Emily," said the Ambassador as she pointed to gorgeous brunette seated on the other side of the room wearing a pink sundress who had never even looked up from her book. What the…? Aaron thought he was here to babysit a kid, but this girl was at least 20, and she was beautiful to say the least.

"Emily, this is Major Hotchner. He will be accompanying you around this summer," said the Ambassador.

"Mother, how many times must we go through this?" asked Emily. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm 22 years old. I'm a senior in college. I live in…" Emily stopped mid sentence as she looked up to see Aaron. He was young and handsome! Boy, she could see the outline of his muscular frame. Then, their eyes met. Those were the most beautiful dark eyes she had ever stared into. Their gaze was broken by Agent Johnson.

"Major Hotchner will be in charge of your daytime protection. Just think of him as a companion. He will not be in uniform. He will be in plain clothes. He will be with you until you leave in August," said Agent Johnson.

"It is nice to meet your acquaintance, Miss Prentiss," said Aaron.

"Nice to meet you as well, Major Hotchner. Please just call me Emily," responded Emily.

"It's Aaron," he stated in a nonchalant manor. Ambassador Prentiss had invited him to lunch with her and Emily. Everything went well, and the food was much more delicious than to which Aaron was accustomed.

Over the next few weeks, Aaron had gotten to know more about Emily. She was a senior at Brown University who was in the process of applying to several foreign-service programs. She had said that she wanted to join the family business. Aaron could only chuckle when she told him that because in a sense, that is what he had done. He told her about his times at Harvard, and his thoughts on law school. She thought that was amazing. She had certainly never met a guy who had this much ambition. Most of the guys that she had met back in the States were losers at best.

On the fourth week of the protective detail, Emily had begged Aaron to take a trip to a museum in the city. He finally caved. He was somewhat nervous. They had never been very far from the embassy, and they had never been out in such a wide open public place. He had obviously developed feelings for Emily, and that could be dangerous. He didn't want anything to happen to her. He could never live with that.

"Oh come on, Aaron," begged Emily as she batted her long eyelashes. "It's just a museum. I'm sure everything will be okay."

"Well, I am just your companion, so I guess I have to go wherever you want to," quipped Aaron. Even if he was allowed, he couldn't say no to those sweet eyes. He had it bad for her, and he could tell that she was quite found of him as well. They took the car to the museum which was located on the other side of the city.

"Wow the architecture of this building is magnificent," said Emily. "We should take a picture in front of it. Me and you. George will you take a picture of us?" The softness that she saw in his eyes as she said "me and you" almost made her melt. They got out of the car and George took the picture of the two of them.

Although Aaron had never particularly enjoyed museums, he actually liked this one. Emily was having a good time, and so was he. He was completely enamored with her. She had beauty and brains that were well above her years. He knew she was special. He liked spending time with her, and he was in no way ready for their time together to end.

Unfortunately, a few weeks later, his assignment was cut short. There had been some brazen terror activity in the border region of the country and he was ordered to return to his unit. He had gone to Emily's room where she was reading.

"You're leaving?" she asked as tears began to roll down her cheek. Emily had been trained to be diplomatic her entire life, but she couldn't keep up her poker face right now.

"Yes. My orders have been changed. I've enjoyed being your companion this summer. I was just coming to say goodbye."

She couldn't believe he was leaving. She had fallen completely head over heels in love with Aaron. He was amazingly sweet. She liked spending time with him. She believed in the military and everything they stood for, but she didn't want him being shipped off to a danger zone. He was already down the steps when she had looked over at their museum photo. She had made a copy for him too, but she had forgotten about it until now. She picked up the photo and darted down the steps.

"Aaron, wait," screamed Emily as he stopped. "I have something for you." Aaron stopped, and he waited for her to catch up with him. When she caught up to him, she handed him the picture of the two of them. "I wanted to give you this to remind you of the time we spent together."

All Aaron could do was look at the photo of the two of them. Even he was almost reduced to tears now as he responded, "Thank you, Emily."

Emily leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Aaron's lips as she whispered, "Please keep in touch. Always remember you have me."

"I will keep in touch with you Emily Prentiss. Please write me," he said trying to keep on his brave face which was beginning to slip as he got into the car. On the trip back to his post, Aaron couldn't stop thinking about Emily. Maybe he did have a reason to return home.

_So what are your thoughts? I am sorry if I made any errors when talking about the military. I do not mean to offend anyone. Like I said before, I am considering making this into a multi-chapter story. I was thinking of starting it this way, and letting the stories be a series of letters between Emily and Aaron. _


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed the first chapter. I am currently thinking that this story will be a series of letters with some other stuff intertwined. I am a busy college student. With that being said, I will try my best to update on a regular basis. (Side note: I am really looking forward to the new episode tonight because I am going through a serious withdraw. It's a good thing I've had my season 4 to keep me busy__)_

_As always, I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters written in this story._

Dear Aaron,

How are things going for you? I am doing well, and I hope this letter finds you in good spirits as well. The last few weeks haven't been as fun as when you were here. My new "companion" from the Secret Service is not nearly as fun as you. Granted, he is in his forties, and he keeps telling me about his daughter who is my age. Still, I have been traveling around the city and visiting sites. We drove past that museum the other day, and I immediately thought of that time that we went to see the museum. Do you remember that day? It sure was a good time. To be honest, that was the most fun I had in a very long time.

I will be returning to Brown in a couple of weeks. I took your advice. I am going to take some classes in criminal justice like you suggested. You really heightened my interest in the field with your stories. I didn't know a Marine like you would be so educated on the topic of criminology. I have no idea what I plan to do when I graduate. I hope maybe these classes could give me some direction. Haha. Only one could hope that I can gather some direction. My mother keeps telling me that I should go with my gut and prepare to enter a Foreign Service program. She says this is what I have been groomed to do all of my life, but I'm just not sure that is where my heart is. Oh well, that's enough about me. Have you given anymore thought to applying to law school?

Have you heard about the Braves? They are doing quite well. There is talk about them making an appearance at the World Series this year. Can you believe it? I didn't think that would ever happen in my lifetime, but I guess it has. I'll be damned.

I really do hope you are safe, Aaron. I think about you and pray for you every day. You are one of the sweetest and bravest people I have ever met. You can write me anytime. When you are back home, I would love to get together sometime. Maybe we can make that World Series.

Well, I must be going now. Mother is hosting a dinner this evening, and as I am sure you already know, formal State Department dinners can be very fun and exciting. I look forward to hearing from you soon, Aaron.

Sincerely,

Emily


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: So I have decided to post chapter two and three at the same time. These letters aren't nearly as long as I had envisioned they would be. It's hard to write a super long letter, so I am asking the readers to forward any suggestions and ideas. I have a pretty good idea of the way I would like to end this story, but I need some help with the stuff in between. I know that Emily and Aaron already have feelings for each other, but they're young; therefore, feelings mean something a little different._

_As always, I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters written here._

Dear Emily,

I was so happy to receive your letter. I am doing as well as I can be right now. We are patrolling a very dangerous area right now. I'm sorry I can't tell you anymore, but it is a danger zone. A few men in another unit were injured, but fortunately, no one has been killed. I am sure by the time you receive this letter, you will have already began your fall classes. How is it like being back at Brown? Are you enjoying your criminal justice classes?

I have been thinking more about law school, but I'm still not sure that's what I want to do. I love the Marines, and I'm not real sure that I'm ready to leave yet. In my heart, I know that being a Marine is part of who I will be forever. I like what I am doing here, but I want to go on to law school. I am pretty sure I would like to work in criminal law because it is such a fascinating field. My brother has recently graduated from Georgetown Law, and I am considering applying there. He loved it there. He recently transitioned into a junior partner position at a corporate law firm in Boston a few months ago when he graduated. He is doing quite well, and he has been trying to convince me to go into law as well. Isn't funny how everyone is always giving us advice on our lives?

Yes, I have heard about the Braves. Can you believe how well we are doing this year? I am thrilled at how well we are doing. Hopefully, I will be home in time for the World Series. I would love to see it together. It seems that whenever I am with you, good times always ensue. Where will it be played this year? To be honest, I was floored when you told me you were a Braves fan. I figured you a baseball fan because you're from east coast, but I never imagined you would be a Braves fan! We certainly are few and far between.

It has certainly brightened my mood that you wrote to me. I am sorry to hear about your exciting times at the State Department dinner. I know those things are always great. I would love to get together sometime when I am back stateside. I hope everything goes well with your classes. I am doing my best to keep safe. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. You certainly are different caliber of a woman than I have ever met. You are kind and caring, and you are definitely a free spirit. I really like that about you.

I often think about that trip we took to the museum. I keep that picture of us in my pocket at all times because when I'm uncertain, I just look at it. Then I know that everything is alright because at least one person out there is still pulling for me. I look forward to talking to you soon, Em.

Sincerely,

Aaron

_So I am thinking that maybe the next chapter could be a reflection on Emily's behalf. Please let me know what you think. I look forward to reading your reviews._


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: I would like to thank all of you who reviewed, and a special thanks to celticgina for her valuable ideas. Here is another note from Emily to Aaron. Please review and share any suggestions you may have. (Side Note: I think Wednesday's CM was incredibly awesome, and next week's episode looks equally awesome)._

_As always, I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters written here._

Dear Aaron,

How are you doing? I was excited to receive your letter. I had been waiting for it, but it seems like it took forever! Oh well, I guess that's the price of doing business. I have been in school for three weeks now, and I absolutely love it. My criminal statistics professor, Dave Rossi, is a criminal profiler at the FBI on sabbatical. He is totally cool. He has the most amazing stories, and he has actually published a couple of books. He told me about his job, and it sounds really cool. He told me that I should consider applying, but I am not too sure about how I feel about carrying a gun and being around such violence all of the time. It seems like his job is rather violent in nature. One thing is for sure, mother would not like that too much, but I'm sure she would learn to deal. I'm sure if you met him, you would love him. I didn't know your brother Sean had graduated from Georgetown Law. That's great.

It really does look like we are going to make it! I'm excited. For my birthday, daddy bought me tickets to each of the games. I am can't wait. I do have an extra ticket, so if you make it back home by the middle of October, maybe you could join me. You know how mother feels about me being accompanied at all times. She will tell me that it is not safe for me to be traveling to baseball games alone. We could just let her know that my favorite companion will be joining me. She detests the fact that I am such an ardent baseball fan, but what can I say? I get it from daddy. However, if I were to let her know that you would be accompanying me, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She actually likes you. She has made kind remarks about you since you have been gone, and believe me, that is quite rare. She usually remains indifferent about security staff, but not you.

Thanks for all of your well wishes. Although you couldn't see it, your letter made me blush. I couldn't believe all of the sweet things you had to say about me. I'm happy that I could brighten your mood. You have no idea how much you brightened my mood during my time in Riyadh. You were a lot different than I thought you would be. I was expecting some staunch, old suit from the Secret Service. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate their protection, but jeez those guys can be ridiculously stubborn. Instead, I got a young, handsome, dark haired Major to be my companion. I was able to spend six entire weeks with you, and I probably know more about you than any of my previous boyfriends. Sadly, I've never even been in a relationship for that long, but I spent that long with you, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Aaron, I would love to get to know more about you and spend more time with you when you return home.

You are still in my thoughts and prayers. I would have it no other way. I will always be here pulling for you. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sincerely,

Em


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Right now in this universe, it would be about the second week of September 1995. I'm not sure exactly how quickly mail would get to someone in the military stationed in Saudi Arabia, so I have been giving the letters a few weeks of lag time. I am also double posting again because I think that with these letters being of such a short length and of a one-sided perspective, that it's better for the reader if I post two chapters at a time. Please review and let me know what you think so far._

_As always, I don't own Criminal Minds or any of the characters written here._

Dear Em,

I am alright, but I will be honest, some of my men haven't been so lucky. We lost a man in my unit last week. It has been hard on all of us. You know, it's not something that anyone truly can ever be prepared to handle. However, receiving your letter somehow made it all seem a little better. And, the fact that football season has recently started has also given me a renewed since of hope.

I'm glad to hear that everything is going well for you. Now that you mention it, I think I have read a book by Dave Rossi. It seems like he would be an interesting person to know. It's nice that you have had the chance to meet someone so incredible and influential. If he's trying to recruit you to the FBI, then maybe he sees something in you that you don't even know exists. I agree that it seems to be a career that is surrounded by a great deal of violence. Maybe it is something you should consider. As for your mother's input, maybe you should let her know that your career choice that you will have to live with, but since she is currently saying such nice things about me, maybe you shouldn't let her know I was the one who told you that.

In other good news, I received word a few days ago that we will be arriving back home October 7th. I'm glad that I will be home in time to attend the entire World Series with you, Em. I haven't been to a Braves game since I was a kid, and I've never been to a Series game. I'm really looking forward to it. Don't feel bad. I haven't had a meaningful relationship since my ex, Haley, broke up with me due to my lack of interest in settling down, getting married, buying a house with a white picket fence, and producing 3.2 kids.

Whether you believe it or not, you really are a different kind of woman. I feel like I could tell you anything Emily. I would love to spend time with you when I get back stateside. Once we get back, I will be on leave until the beginning of January. If you don't already have plans for Thanksgiving, then maybe you could join me in Virginia. We have a pretty nice guest room where you could stay. Sean and I usually have dinner Thanksgiving Day, and then, the next morning we get up super early and go to the city for some shopping. He's bringing his fiancé this year. I haven't had the chance to meet her yet, so I'm excited to finally get the chance to meet her. It probably sounds strange that two grown men go shopping together, but it's the one family tradition that has persisted throughout the years. I understand if you already have other engagements, but please feel free to tell your mom I will be there.

Thank you for keeping me company, Emily. I would love to spend some more time with you. A couple of the guys caught me looking at our picture the other day, and they have been giving me a pretty hard time about it. But what kind of Marine would I be if I couldn't take the heat? God willing, I will see you soon.

Sincerely,

Aaron


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: So I have finally gotten around to writing two more chapters. I'm sorry I've just been really busy with school and work obligations. This will be the last group of letters, at least for a little while. You will understand why at the end of the next chapter. _

Dear Aaron,

I am so excited that you are coming home at the beginning of October. I literally squealed when I read that in your last letter. My roommate, Amy, thought something was wrong with me. Haha. Seriously, I am glad that you are going to be back soon. I was sorry to hear that you lost a man in your unit. Please send my condolences. I know you guys are doing your duty in a very dangerous place. I always worry about you. I pray for each day, and I know how brave you are, so that makes it a little better. So how are things going for you? I hope this letter finds you well.

I have been telling daddy all about you and our time in Riyadh. He says he already likes you because if you have already won favor with the Prentiss women, then there is nothing else he can say! He's currently out of the country, too. He would like to meet you. He can seem intimidating at first, but he is not really as tough as he seems. His tough exterior is just a shell that he has grown more comfortable in over the years, but don't tell him I said that. Even though he has never met you, he thinks highly of you. He likes you so much that he has arranged your trip to the World Series. Yeah, that's right! He has taken care of everything. He said, "If such a fine young service man wants to use his free time to watch over my Emmy, then I'm going to make sure he's taken care of the best of my ability." He's simply full of surprises.

I'm stoked that not only did I meet a fellow Braves fan from Virginia, but we are going to see the World Series together. More importantly, I'm glad that person is you, Aaron. I would love to join you guys for Thanksgiving. It is ironic because I was thinking of inviting you to come over! My parents already have previous arrangements, so they will not even be in the country. I am happy that I will be able to finally meet Sean. I have heard so much about him, so it will be nice to put a face to the man.

I think you are right about Professor Rossi. Maybe he was onto something. Not only am I excelling in my criminal statistics class, but I am really enjoying it. Criminology has certainly piqued my interest. I have been doing some research on careers in the FBI. There really is a lot to do in the FBI. Professor Rossi thinks I could be a top-tier profiler someday, but I am still not sure if that what I want to do. I am just afraid that I will make the wrong choice. I think I may pursue graduate study to allow myself more time to think about my career choices.

Well, I'm sure I have probably talked your head off. I feel like I have been writing this letter forever! Haha. I will be going home to Arlington on the 18th, so let's make some plans to get together. I look forward to seeing you soon, Aaron. Please be safe.

Sincerely,

Emily

P.S. Amy saw our museum photo, and she thinks you are super cute. Should I get her phone number for you?


	7. Chapter 7

Dear Em,

Things have been going very well for us the past couple of weeks. Since we are due to ship out next week, we have been pulled from patrols. We are still in the danger zone, but a lot of the danger is now gone. It is but for the grace of God that we only lost one man. Thank you for our condolences. I am glad to hear that you are doing well.

I can't believe your father is going to pay for me to go to the Series games. That's not necessary though. I would go with you anyway. Please send him my thanks, and let him know how anxious I am to meet a man with such good tastes. I still can't believe I made such an impression on the Ambassador. That is really good news. I will be back on October 7th, so I will drive out to Arlington on the 19th. I just want to get settled in at home for a little while. Sean has even cleared his schedule for a few days so that he can come home for a brief visit. He's pretty much the only family I have left, and it is nice to be able to spend a little time together. I am sure with your family's differing schedules, you can probably relate.

I am really happy that you are exploring your career possibilities now. I know I felt the same way when I chose to join the Marines, and I am felling the same way again. The Marines have given me the best six years of my life, but I feel that it is time for me to move on to the next stage in my life. I have decided not to sign up for another term of enlistment. I am going to take some time to re-evaluate my goals. I have degrees in criminal justice and psychology, and I am just trying to think of what I would like to do next. I believe I am going to take some time to rest and re-adjust to ordinary life. Then, I believe I will be applying to law schools. If I am accepted, I will likely begin next fall.

I am glad I will be able to spend time with you. You are a fun person, and an avid baseball fan which is a huge plus for me. I am really looking forward to you coming out for Thanksgiving. I am sorry that your parents already have previous arrangements, but I suppose that is good news for me. Sean is looking forward to meeting you as well. I promise you we will have a good time between turkey "games" and shopping.

I really appreciate you keeping me company these past few months. I haven't been able to take mind off of you these past four months. You are a very interesting woman, Emily Prentiss. I have had some of the best and worst times these past few months, and I am really glad that you have been at the center of those good times. I am even happier that I will get to make some more memories with you. I will call you when I am stateside, but I will most definitely see you on the 19th.

Sincerely,

Aaron

P.S. Please tell Amy I say thanks, but no thanks because I am already very interested in another woman, and I have her number.

_Author's note: Like I mentioned before, I think these will be the last letters, at least for a while. I am planning to write some chapters where Emily and Aaron are actually hanging out. For the next chapter, I have a meeting between Emily's dad and Aaron planned. It should be interesting to write. Please let me know what you think by way of review. Thanks for reading!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: I finally got this chapter written which makes me extremely happy. I have been thinking a lot about this story and what is coming next. I would like to write a piece on their trip to the games, but I'm not sure how long and of what it should consist. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share them. I personally like this chapter, but it shies away from the letter format previously used, so again, please let me know what you think. I'm not sure if anyone is still reading this because I only got a few reviews last time. Please review and let me know what you think. Reviews really do make a writer's day _

_As usual, I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters written here._

Emily Prentiss was very nervous. She had been up since 4am. She went for her morning swim as usual, but that was the most normal part of her day for this was the day that Aaron would meet her father. More importantly, this would be the first time she saw Aaron in four months. Aaron had been assigned to accompany her in Saudi Arabia. They had been quite close then, but if anything, they had grown closer the last four months due to their regular correspondence. Maybe that old adage about absence making the heart grow founder really was true.

Emily was very nervous about Aaron's return. They had spent lots of time together in Riyadh, and she enjoyed that time together. Not only was he handsome and witty, but his personality far surpassed any other guy she had ever met. For the past for months, she had woken up each morning with the hope that would be the day that she would receive another letter from Aaron. She loved reading the letters he wrote. They were absolutely mesmerizing. If she didn't know any better, she would say she had fallen for him. Not that there was anything wrong with that. Aaron was the perfect knight in shining armor for which she had always been waiting. The only problem was she didn't know if he had felt the same way about her.

He was several years older than she. He had a lot more real world and relationship experience. At twenty-two, she was somewhat embarrassed to admit that she had never been with a man. She had awkward relationships with guys that her mother had set her up with, but none of them ever made it that far. In her heart, she felt Aaron could be the one; however, her brain was unsure. Sure, he said he enjoyed their time together as well, but it was likely she was the first female company he had in a while. He could surely do better. Did he even feel the same way about her? Well, if not, at least one thing was sure. She would always have a good friend in Aaron Hotchner.

At 10:30, she called Natalia's to make sure their reservations were set. Natalia's was a nice, moderately sized Italian eatery nestled in downtown Arlington. It was one of the most frequented restaurants in the area. Aaron would be meeting them there at 12:30, so she wanted to make sure everything was going to flow just the way it was suppose to. Now that she had settled that, the most important decision of the day was to be made: wardrobe.

She really didn't know what she wanted to wear. She didn't want to wear something that was overtly formal, but at the same time she didn't want to wear a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Finally, she decided that she would wear a dress. Emily had always been fond of dresses, and due to her mother's intensive etiquette instruction, she knew they were appropriate for these luncheon occasions. Besides, who was she fooling? She wanted to look nice for Aaron. Even if he wasn't her boyfriend, he was a good prospect, and nothing could reel them in like showing that you take pride in your appearance. Her gram use to tell her all the time that she should showcase. She never really got that until now. She could really feel the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She finally settled on a red and white sundress. She chose red high heels along with a red cardigan to accent her dress as well as to combat the cool autumn breeze that Virginia was well known for in October.

Her and her father left their house around 11:45. Daddy had always been a stickler for promptness. He said tardiness was the number one sign of an ill prepared person, and should one ever meet this type of person, they should go running for the hills. He would rather be two hours early than two minutes late. Emily never really understood why, but she just chalked up to his conditioning as a foreign service official. As they pulled into the parking lot at Natalia's, Emily smiled as she realized Aaron was already there. He, too, had just arrived and finished parking his black pick-up truck. Emily had never asked him what kind of vehicle he drove, but she had imagined it would be some sort of truck. Aaron looked over and saw Emily. It seems as if their eyes locked; their gaze was fixed and there was nothing else in the world that mattered at that time. Emily felt fire inside of her as she got out of the car. She walked over to Aaron and embraced him as she felt a warm tear trickle down her tear. She was beyond happy that he was home safe, in one piece, and still breathing.

"Welcome home stranger," said Emily as she released her grip on Aaron.

"Hey, Em, it's good to see you, too," replied Aaron as he felt Emily's fingers intertwine with his and she led him to where an older man was standing. He wasn't sure if anything else had ever felt so right. He really liked this young woman, and he prayed to God that she felt the same way.

"Aaron, this is my dad, Gerald Prentiss," introduced Emily. "Daddy, this is Major Aaron Hotchner."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Prentiss," said Aaron as he stuck out his hand.

"Oh please, call me Gerry," responded the older man. "And I've heard so much about you from Elizabeth and Emmy that I must inform you that the pleasure is all mine, Major."

"Please call me Aaron, and thank you, Gerry," replied Aaron.

The three of them were lead to their table by a young hostess who appeared to be around the same age as Emily. They shred drink, food, and many laughs. Gerry really was impressed with Aaron. Of course Emmy would never admit it to him that she had feelings for Aaron, but he was pleased that she had brought such a fine young man home. Over the past two hours, Gerry had come to the conclusion that there was likely no one on this planet he could entrust his Emmy to better than Aaron Hotchner. He could tell how much those two had enjoyed each other's company, and he was not surprised when Aaron had asked if Emily could join him in a trip to the shopping mall this afternoon. He still needed to get a few things for the trip, and Gerry was sure there was nothing on this planet that Emily could do better than shop. He had the credit card bills to prove it.

Emily and Aaron saw Gerry off, and they got into his truck and left as well. Aaron could help but look over at Emily breathlessly. He had been dreaming of this moment for the past four months. He had wanted nothing more than to be back with Emily since that day at the embassy when she hugged him and told him to be safe as left to return to the danger zone. She was different than most other girls he had ever met, and that was no lie. Finally, they arrived at the outlet mall. As soon as they arrived at the mall, Aaron immediately jumped out to get Emily's door. She promptly thanked him, just as gracious as always. He really was a true gentleman. She had never dated anyone like that before, and she wasn't even sure if they were dating.

"So what are we looking for today?" inquired Emily.

"I just need a few pair of jeans and a few other things," replied Aaron. "I've got a ton of Braves paraphernalia, so I'm all set on that front." Emily flashed Aaron with one of those bright smiles that just made his heart melt. God, he loved that smile. He had forgotten just what it felt like to see it in person, but now he remembered and he was never willing to forget it again.

As usual, shopping with Emily Prentiss was an event in and of itself. Aaron never really cared for shopping, but seeing Emily's enthusiasm was enough to make him overlook his previous apprehensions on shopping. Four hours, two pairs of jeans, and several shopping bags later they were finally done. Aaron had remembered driving past a little ice cream shop on the way to the mall. It had been a while since Aaron had had a delicacy such as a rocky road sundae, so he thought it would be good to stop. He knew from previous experience that Emily had a mean sweet tooth, so he knew she wouldn't mind. Aaron ordered his sundae, and Emily got a double chocolate malt.

"I'm really glad you decided to stop here," said Emily as she playfully kicked his leg.

"I knew you would like it," chuckled Aaron. "Not a bad pick for our first date."

Emily almost choked on her malt at Aaron's words. Did he just say date? Her face went blank as she tried to rationalize what he had just said. If he were being serious right now, this just might pan out to be the best damn day ever. Oh no, the butterflies had just returned.

"Emily, are you okay?" asked Aaron.

"I'm fine," choked Emily. "Did you just say date?"

Oh shit. He did just say they were on a date. Way to go, Aaron. Of course he liked Emily, but it was common practice to declare such intent prior to the actual occasion. He just implied they were on a date, and he couldn't even bother to ask her if that was alright with her first.

"I'm sorry Em," replied Aaron. "Sometimes I don't think before I open my mouth and words just fall out. That's actually an ailment from which I suffer: open mouth and insert foot. I like you and I would like to date you, but I would like to ask you out on an official date some time if that is alright with you."

"Yes of course. I would love to go on a date with you sometime." Emily's face had turned a rare bright shade of red as she glanced down at what was left of her delicious malt. Essentially, the man that had virtually occupied every corner of her mind for the past several months had just asked her out, and she most definitely was not going to pass that up.

"Oh good because I thought I was going to have to take Amy up on her offer," mused Aaron. Sarcasm was most definitely has thing. Emily let out a quick laugh as well. "There's a nice place not too far from here where we could have dinner some time before you have to return to school."

Aaron could see the happiness flow into Emily. He had suspected that she had feelings for him too, but he didn't know just how deep they ran until just now. She looked up at him with her soft brown eyes. Oh yeah, those eyes definitely had him hooked.

"That would be nice," softly replied Emily. Their eyes had met once again, and suddenly, any feeling of nervousness that had ever existed inside Emily was gone. This really did turn out to be the best day of her life thus far.

_Please let me know what you think! REVIEW!! REVIEW!! It may be a little while before the next chapter is up, but please be patient!_


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